Honesty
by shelllessturtle
Summary: Magic urged her to be cruel, but it had not been magic that got her Henry. For once, Regina trusts her common sense, and decides that honesty is the best way to get rid of this Swan woman.


A/N: An idea that's been kicking around in my head for a while now. Regina does what she does in season one to keep Henry. What if she read Emma correctly in the beginning, and frightened her off with emotional openness, rather than incited her rebelliousness?

Disclaimer: If these characters were mine, Swan Queen would already be canon.

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Regina carefully watched the blonde woman who had appeared so suddenly in her life. She didn't like the way her mind and body were fighting over this girl. Part of her wanted nothing more than to be rid of this interloper, this competition for her son's affection, but part of her—the part still connected to magic—insisted that the blonde needed to stay. But magic always came with a price, and it hadn't been magic that got her Henry. So the blonde really needed to go.

She listened as this Emma related the tale of the night Henry had found her, and when she came to the part about the wish, terror gripped Regina's heart. She was sure to take that as a sign, sure to insist on being back in Henry's life, so Regina did what she did best, and struck fear into the blonde's heart. Only it didn't work like it usually did. Emma was immediately on the defensive, and Regina realized her mistake in telling this woman to stay away from her son. This woman was clearly the type who would do something simply because she was told not to do it. The magic insisted Regina press on, make this woman leave in a snit of rebellious almost-fear, but it hadn't been the magic that had gotten Henry, so Regina listened to the rest of her mind.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean it to sound like that." It was only technically a lie. She hadn't realized the consequences of making it sound like that. "It's just that Henry is the only family I have, and I don't want to lose him." That was painfully true, and though it hurt to be this open with a stranger, her common sense was telling her that it was the right way to get rid of this woman.

The blonde smiled sadly. "I get that," she said. "I understand what it's like to only have one person, and not want to lose them, no matter the cost. And I don't want to take Henry back. He's wonderful and all, you did a great job with him, but I'm not cut out to be a mother."

Regina couldn't help smiling back. "Well, if nothing else, you gave him to me in the first place, so I'm grateful for that. I just...don't ever want to lose him."

Emma's smile was brighter, more genuine this time, and she replied, "Well, just keep doing what you're doing, and I think it'll turn out fine."

Regina showed her guest to the door, safe in the knowledge that this woman would not touch her son again, and thinking that perhaps she should trying being a little more open with Henry. Still, as she watched Emma Swan leave her property, despite knowing that the only person she truly loved was tucked safely in his bed, Regina Mills couldn't help feeling she had lost something just as precious.

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Regina jolted upright in her bed, gasping hard. Terrified, she glanced around her room, trying to make sure her dream had been just that. Though she couldn't see anything, there was a gentle movement audible to her side, and then warm, strong arms wrapped around her.

"It's okay, baby, I've got you," the warm, sleepy voice of her lover murmured in her ear.

Regina let herself be held, trembling, enormously relieved by the presence at her side.

"Wanna talk about it?" her girlfriend asked after Regina's breathing had steadied.

"I managed to get you to leave Storybrooke," Regina admitted. "Right at the beginning, I convinced you to go."

"How did you managed that?" Emma asked, astonished.

"Honesty," Regina replied with a weak laugh. "Funny that the thing that would have convinced you to go in the beginning was what eventually convinced you to stay."

Emma let her hands run up and down Regina's back. "Well, back then, I was too afraid to be ready for any of this. Now, it's the best part of my life."

Regina pressed herself closer to the strong blonde currently holding her, and let herself be honest again. "You're the best part of my life, too, Emma Swan."

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A/N2: I've been too neck-deep in writing angst lately. It needed a sickeningly fluffy ending.


End file.
